Ohtani named National League All-Star starter at DH, completing another first in the voting process

Shohei Ohtani has been named the National League’s starting designated hitter for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, a milestone that continues his pattern of stacking firsts as the season moves into its midyear showcase. MLB announced that Ohtani will be penciled into the NL starting lineup at DH after winning the NL starter election at that position.

The selection came via the All-Star voting format, which began with Phase 1. According to the MLB release, Ohtani led all Major Leaguers in Phase 1 voting totals, finishing with 3,341,257 votes. That figure is tied directly to the step that determines who advances into the starter election for the appropriate role, and it sets Ohtani apart not just as a top NL choice at DH, but as the overall vote leader across MLB at that point in the process.

Ohtani’s path to a starting spot reflects how MLB’s All-Star process is designed to reward both popularity and position-specific recognition. Being elected as a starter is not simply about reaching the most votes overall, it also means the player ultimately earns the designated role spot in the starting lineup once the league moves from Phase 1 into the starter decision. In other words, Ohtani did not just generate attention in the early window, he converted it into the one thing the process is meant to deliver, a starting berth.

The designated hitter spot matters because it functions as the AL-style centerpiece for a hitter-focused lineup in the NL. Ohtani, long known for his two-way impact, draws attention even in a setting that is not built around pitching. For the NL, naming him at DH indicates that the league expects his bat to shape at-bats in a game built around matchups, short lineups, and late-inning leverage.

Ohtani’s election also adds to the larger narrative of his All-Star presence. MLB’s language in the announcement frames the start as “another first,” emphasizing that the outcome continues to build on his history of breaking through at major benchmarks. For Dodgers fans and for the league’s broader audience, it is a reminder that, even as rosters and seasons change, Ohtani’s profile remains appointment-worthy at the sport’s most visible annual event.

What to watch next is how the All-Star rosters fill out around him. The starting lineup is only one layer of the selections, with the remaining positions and reserve roles determined through subsequent steps and vote totals. Ohtani is already locked into the NL starter role at DH, but the final look of the NL lineup and the way managers balance star power with tactical needs will shape whether the league can maximize the impact of a DH-first centerpiece in the middle of the season.